SARATOGA SPRINGS – Gorgeous afternoon at Old Spa, not drop of rain for first time since opening day.

SECOND RACE: Several rambunctious youngsters caused headaches in maiden turfer. French Transition, then 2-1 favorite, flipped in gate, kicking out at Cyclicality in next stall; both were scratched. After field was reloaded, Gilded Castle broke through gate before start. At break, Starbase, along hedge, and Equal, 9-5 favorite coupled with Lattice for Bill Mott, gunned for lead, with Equal, Mike Luzzi up, clearing field around clubhouse turn, dropping over to hedge to set pace, with Starbase, Fernando Jara up, swinging out to sit second as Equal opened daylight. Midway down backside, Equal suddenly swerved out into path of Starbase, who clipped heels, almost went down, causing Jara to lose one iron. Around far turn, Holiday Trip, after tracking pace, went after Equal, and Romp mounted wide rally, with Twilight Meteor, 2-1 debuting for Pletcher-Velazquez, circling field widest of all. Once straightened out, Twilight Meteor lost momentum and appeared to hang as Holiday Trip took lead in midstretch, but final sixteenth Twilight Meteor kicked in again, closed like shot to take command.

THIRD RACE: Impressive return for Silver Wagon, making first start since March, just second since Dec., now in Rick Dutrow Jr. barn. Horse-for-course at Spa, with two wins, including ’03 Hopeful, from three starts, but winless in last nine dating to Feb. 2005, Silver Wagon was even-money under Edgar Prado; off slowly from post 1 as Saint Damon gunned to big daylight lead chased by Going Wild, Silver Wagon quickly advanced inside around turn, came through along rail to take lead midstretch, drew clear, was under no pressure to hold off Going Wild’s belated bid.

FIFTH RACE: Shug McGaughey’s firster Acadiana was off step slow under Prado from post 1 but quickly caught up with leaders, coming through along rail to set pace while in hand, pressed outside by Our Ryann’s Xpress, Rafael Bejarano up debuting for Nick Zito. Top of stretch, Acadiana began to edge clear from ‘Xpress’, held clear lead with furlong to run but could not withstand late charge of Kauai Calls, Scott Blasi first-time starter ridden by Garrett Gomez. George Steinbrenner’s A.P. Dream, favored at 6-5 under Cornelio Velasquez, trained by Mott, trailed field early, rallied for fourth.